According to the Ministry of Fisheries, the figure represented 46 percent of the sector’s yearly target.

The European Union market topped the list of Vietnamese seafood importers with 24.4 percent of market share, followed by the US with 18.3 percent. The Japanese market fell from its first position to the third, registering 17 percent of market share. Other importers included the Republic of Korea (7.4 percent), Russia (5.2 percent), China (5.1 percent), ASEAN (5.8 percent) and other countries (16.7 percent).

Frozen fish remained the sector’s top export item, posting a 49 percent increase in terms of volume and a rise of 35 percent in export value. It was followed by frozen shrimp, with increases of 16 percent and 39 percent in volume and value, respectively.

It is predicted that “tra” and “basa” catfish products will continue to be a key factor in influencing frozen fish exports.

However, strict measures should be applied to control the fast growing of tra and basa breeding in the Mekong Delta due to soaring prices of the products, which has led to fry shortage and may harm the environment, said officials of the ministry.